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Why Chinese Herbs

During your time at MCA your acupuncturist might have brought up adding Chinese Herbs to your treatments. Why? The simplest answer is, sometimes acupuncture isn’t the only or best way to address various health concerns.

Chinese herbs are the medicine that makes Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM as it is commonly referred to) a complete system of healthcare. It is the yin to the yang of acupuncture. There are thousands of traditional formulas of herbs, all of them based on a system of understanding that combines taste (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, & bland) and temperature (cold, warm, hot) of a plant material (leaves, twigs, bark, roots) to create a desired effect on the chemistry of the body. An easy analogy for Chinese herbs is food. We eat certain foods to have certain effects inside the body. For example, lemons are bitter and sour and create the pucker that helps to create saliva, while bone broths would be considered sweet and bland and help to repair tissue after illness. Chinese herbs are used to help the body to repair itself over time instead of masking the symptoms like an over the counter medication would.

Chinese herbs can be used to address a variety of symptoms and conditions. They are not recommended for everyone, especially those on certain medications like blood thinners, but in the right circumstance herbs can help improve conditions faster than acupuncture alone. At MCA we like to use acupuncture first and then add herbs as needed (or desired) on a patient by patient basis. All of our acupuncturists are board certified in Chinese Herbology, and during their training spent many hours studying Chinese herbs and formulas. All of the Chinese herbs at MCA are tested for safety and efficacy, and come as a pill similar to a supplement. We carry a wide array of formulas that address everything from constipation and menstrual issues to the common cold and sinus congestion. Chinese herbs range in price, and can cost anywhere from $10-15 for a two week supply.

So the next time you see your acupuncturist, ask how Chinese herbs could benefit you!

Dear Patients and Friends of MCA,

As we continue to learn more about the coronavirus, COVID-19, and with an increase in confirmed cases in Wisconsin, we’d like to update our community as to how we are handling concerns over the virus at MCA. Keeping our community and staff healthy and safe is always our top priority. We hope that by being transparent with our systems and policies we can alleviate anxiety and all get through this together!

As acupuncturists, we are trained in disease pathology and understand biological mechanisms associated with the spread of viruses. We have always had systems in place to prevent the spread of illness among our community. In light of COVID-19 we are taking additional precautions around the clinic and asking for patients to help out as well. We are watching and researching the virus closely as well as staying abreast of CDC guidelines.

Take care of yourself!
If you are not sick and are not in a high risk group for COVID-19, PLEASE DO come in to get a treatment. Acupuncture treatments are helpful in both boosting your immune system and decreasing stress which help your body to fight any virus it may encounter. So rest assured, your treatments are an important part of helping you stay well.

Know when to stay home
Please stay home if you have a fever, flu-like symptoms, vomiting or diarrhea. The main symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, coughing and shortness of breath. Call your primary care physician if you’re in need of medical attention for these concerns.

*Please be fever free for 24 hours before coming to MCA for acupuncture.

If you have an appointment scheduled and aren't feeling well, you may call our office to cancel it at any time and will not be charged (please just let us know you’re canceling due to illness and the late cancellation fee will be waived).

We always ask our staff to stay home if they are sick and will continue to do so.

*If you are immunocompromised we advise you to check with your doctor or medical provider to find out what their recommendations are for you.

Masks
We are requiring patients who are sneezing or have coughs to wear a mask, even if they are mild and not contagious. Please ask a receptionist or acupuncturist to get you a mask if you need it as we no longer are keeping them out. If you forget to get a mask or start coughing during your treatment, we will bring you a mask and ask you to put it on. You can use your own or a complimentary mask provided by us. Our masks are NOT N95 rated; they are only intended to prevent droplets from spreading.

Clean, clean, clean!
When you arrive at the clinic, please either wash your hands in the bathroom or use hand sanitizer when you check in at the front desk. When washing your hands, please wash for at least 20 seconds. Having everyone clean their hands upon arrival will help reduce the transmission of germs. We have set out a few extra alcohol-based hand sanitizers for patient use in our treatment room as well. It is recommended to wash up or use sanitizer again upon leaving.

MCA staff will be regularly disinfecting surfaces that are frequently touched around the clinic, reception area and bathrooms.

For the time being, chair blankets and sheets will be washed after every patient.

Humidity
We have added additional humidifiers around the clinic. New research suggests that keeping an optimal humidity level of 40-60% is important for stopping the spread of viruses.

Questions? Just ask!
Please feel free to ask us questions or voice concerns you may have. We know there is a lot of information currently being provided and are happy to help you sift through it.

We are keeping up to date on the progression of this virus, and in the event that we need to close down to keep everyone safe and prevent the virus from spreading we intend to comply. We hope these and all the preventative measures people in our community are taking will prevent such an event.

Sincerely,

MCA Staff

Additional resources:
Wisconsin DHS
CDC Fact Sheet

Clinic Updates!

Donate to MCA

Donations to MCA help fund our pay-it-forward program and are tax deductible. For every $20 donated to MCA, we will give 1 free acupuncture treatment to a community member.

New Patients

Please call to schedule your first visit. You will be able to schedule subsequent appointments online.

Acupuncture for Veterans

MCA is a Community Care Network provider through the VA. Veterans can request a referral from the VA and receive acupuncture treatments at no cost to them with an active referral.

COVID-19 Appointment Guidelines & Illness Guidelines

Masking is optional

We provide surgical and KN95 masks at the front desk free of charge

Patients can request that their acupuncturist wear a mask while treating them

Please reschedule if…

You feel ill or have any symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, or new loss of taste or smell. Even if you have tested negative, please wait until your symptoms have subsided to come in for an appointment.

You currently have allergies and can’t control coughing or sneezing.

At your appointment:

Check in with the receptionist.

If you are new to our clinic, please fill out our online paperwork before your appointment time or arrive early to fill it out in the office.

Pay for your appointment before heading back to the treatment room.

Sliding scale is $20-$50.

Enter treatment room, choose a chair with a Ready sign in the seat.

Blog

COVID-19 Update

Milwaukee Community Acupuncture

Clinic Updates!

Donate to MCA

New Patients

Acupuncture for Veterans

COVID-19 Appointment Guidelines & Illness Guidelines

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